If we can DREAM it, we can do it! ..... another 30 day vacation Update 02/07

[dizneeat]

The room looks lovely Karin, we are definitely going to try and stay there next time we go to Key West

It doesn't come cheap, but is SO worth it, Joh! Wait until I post the pics of the view from the balcony and the size of it.
We are going back next summer and we'll have the same room! I cannot wait!!!

 

[KatMark]

Subbing...be back to read as soon as I can.

 

[eandesmom]

Lovely room, I've looked at staying there before but the room seems far nicer than I think I'd realized. It is in a great location too!

Tom's lunch looks like heart attack on a plate! Interesting combo that is for sure. I'd need a nap after that in the middle of the day.

 

[RGirl]

Wow - the drive and that hotel room are beautiful! I can't wait for more!!!

We just love the drive from Miami to Key West. It is so peaceful and so scenic. You really need to drive there one of these days. It's really worth it. But I don't blame you for not going to the Keys while living in Miami. I am always so surprised about the places tourists go here in Austria - it would never occur to me to go there as it is always there.

That is one of the blessings of having a 4 week vacation - no rush. We used to do commando park trips some years ago, but since we go twice every year and one of those trips is 4 weeks long we really can kick back and relax and enjoy.
This is one of the reasons I'd rather invest in a nice hotel, so I can enjoy a lot of time on balconies.

Isn't it funny how, when you live somewhere, you don't visit the main attractions? I have lived in quite a few large U.S. cities, and it is pathetic the things that I never visited while living in the city for years!

I am totally with you on the need for a nice hotel. I don't consider it vacation if the hotel isn't nice and a good place to come "home" to in the evening or midday for a nice break. In 2011, we stayed at BWV and loved it; this year, we are staying at POR, one of the Royal Guest Rooms - I hope we will like it as much!

I am also hoping that adding on the cruise at the end of the trip will help me relax!

 

[jenseib]

Nice looking room.

 

[Linda67]

Wow, what a lovely room

It looks so relaxing and peaceful. I want to go there today instead of work!

 

[dvc4life]

That room looks so wonderful. And what a nice drive it seems to be. We have been to Key West on a cruise before but we would like to go back and stay there for a few days.

Can't wait to hear how the rest of your time there is.

 

[jamiesgirl]

Such a beautiful room Karin. The drive looks so nice too. Looking forward to more!

 

[pas130]

Lovely room!!!! Balcony pics!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Can't wait!!! Nothing beats a beach view

 

[WDisneyMom]

I absolutely love the keys and that hotel room is so beautiful...looks very relaxing!

I was laughing at your comment about older people in Denny's....that is the case in every single Denny's I have ever been in, just the norm for me now.....it would be odd to NOT see them in the restaurant. haha.

 

[Tarheel Tink]

I just want to add to the other comments on how much I am enjoying your trip report. I make sure to eat before reading but I still add items to my grocery list!

 

[dizneeat]

Subbing...be back to read as soon as I can.

Hi Kathy!
Glad to know that you decided to join in as well with all that is on your plate at the moment.

Lovely room, I've looked at staying there before but the room seems far nicer than I think I'd realized. It is in a great location too!

Tom's lunch looks like heart attack on a plate! Interesting combo that is for sure. I'd need a nap after that in the middle of the day.

If you ever consider staying in Key West, PLEASE, give the Southernmost a try. The room we stay in is an oceanfront one and they are beautiful!
The balcony wraps around the corner of the room and you cannot beat the location.

I read Tom your comment about his food and was . Thankfully we only encounter that kind of food on vacation. But he said it was tasty none the less.

Wow - the drive and that hotel room are beautiful! I can't wait for more!!!

Isn't it funny how, when you live somewhere, you don't visit the main attractions? I have lived in quite a few large U.S. cities, and it is pathetic the things that I never visited while living in the city for years!

I am totally with you on the need for a nice hotel. I don't consider it vacation if the hotel isn't nice and a good place to come "home" to in the evening or midday for a nice break. In 2011, we stayed at BWV and loved it; this year, we are staying at POR, one of the Royal Guest Rooms - I hope we will like it as much!

I am also hoping that adding on the cruise at the end of the trip will help me relax!

The drive over the many bridges and little islands is so impressive. We just love it. AND, we just LOVE the Southernmost. It is such a beautiful hotel.

We have always had a soft spot for POR and want to go back, but being DVC now it kind of spoiled us. On a 4 week vacation a room with a washer/dryer always wins.

Nice looking room.

The Southernmost is a gorgeous hotel, Jen. If you ever go to Key West, give it a try. Even the "old" part which they refurbished nicely is nice. Not that we stay there - having been in an oceanfront room in the new part spoiled us for life..

 

[dizneeat]

Wow, what a lovely room

It looks so relaxing and peaceful. I want to go there today instead of work!

It is a beautiful hotel, Linda! If you are ever looking for a hotel in Key West - give the Southernmost a try.
And like you, I'd happily be there instead of going to work.

That room looks so wonderful. And what a nice drive it seems to be. We have been to Key West on a cruise before but we would like to go back and stay there for a few days.

Can't wait to hear how the rest of your time there is.

The rooms are really beautiful and there is everything you could even wish for. The bathroom is HUGE! There is nothing like taking a shower with the view of the ocean. (windows are only clear from the inside )

We both love the drive over the many bridges and small islands. The water has an incredible colour and it is very peaceful.

Such a beautiful room Karin. The drive looks so nice too. Looking forward to more!

It was absolutely wonderful, Mary Ellen. And just the way we remembered it from our last visit.
There's lots more to come ..... pretty soon.

Lovely room!!!! Balcony pics!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Can't wait!!! Nothing beats a beach view

The whole resort is just so beautiful, Jeanette. Very inviting and having a room overlooking the ocean is the ultimate treat for us.

 

[dizneeat]

I absolutely love the keys and that hotel room is so beautiful...looks very relaxing!

I was laughing at your comment about older people in Denny's....that is the case in every single Denny's I have ever been in, just the norm for me now.....it would be odd to NOT see them in the restaurant. haha.

The Keys are beautiful, aren't they? And the drive there is just so impressive. We love the Southernmost - rooms are wonderful and you just cannot top the location.

You know, Denny's was my first "American cuisine" experience. And now and then we hop back to refresh memories. We had not been in a few years and I was stunned at the "older folk" in there. We were within the youngest and I am not young at all.

I just want to add to the other comments on how much I am enjoying your trip report. I make sure to eat before reading but I still add items to my grocery list!

Thank you! I am very happy to hear that you enjoy the trip (report).
Good thing to eat beforehand and even better if I inspire you to add to your grocery list.

 

[dizneeat]

Day 3, August 13

A Key West DISmeet - Part 3

It was as beautiful and peaceful as we had remembered it. So we went back to the car to pick up the rest of our luggage, put it in the room, sat out on the balcony for a while

and relaxed, before we hurried back to our car to drive to a grocery store, to stock up on drinks and snacks. It took us about an hour to do our shopping and when we returned we had only little time left until we had to head back out to meet Joh and her family.
We freshened up, and changed and this is when we noted that even though we both had used sun protection, Tom had a gotten sunburned on his arms and legs while driving with the top down.

Finally ready to head out again, we picked up our gifts for Joh and made our way back to the car. It is only a short drive across the island and we were lucky enough to find a parking spot right across the restaurant we wanted to meet at. We were a little early, so we fed the meter and then strolled the area, before we decided to wait for them in front of the restaurant.

It was fun to people watch and then we saw one of the trolleys rolling by and there was someone waving. They were here. We hugged and it felt like we had known them all for a long time and then we learned about the incident that had happened earlier that day and had been the reason for the texts we had received earlier.
While visiting the Hemingway House during the morning, Daniel had wandered off on his own to explore the grounds and had managed to slip and fall into Hemingway’s pond. He had been soaked and they had all considered going back to their hotel at Duck Key, but thanks to the blazing hot day, he had dried off again fast! So after learning about that we all headed inside Turtle Kraal for dinner.
We were seated quickly and learned about the Turtle race that was about to be started and received our “support” tickets. We all ordered our drinks and we shared a Bucket of bones, a sampling of their spare ribs. While they were tasty there were just enough to go around. Once we had finished them our mains came out. Tom ordered the

BBQ Beef Brisket Sandwich, which came with seasoned fries while I had the

BBQ Pork Sandwich. They were both nice, but not what we had had three years ago.
All of us were surprised that the sandwiches had come out only room temperature. I think I might have enjoyed it even more if the meat had actually been hot. While we were still munching our sandwiches, the turtle race was on and Daniel and Gary had winning tickets. Having a winning ticket means that you go up to a treasure chest, choose a key and if it opens the lock, that days win was 400$. Daniel was happy and already planning on how to spend his win when he got in line,

but unfortunately he didn’t win and neither did Gary. We sat and chatted, or tried to, as whenever we had a conversation going the announcer would be louder than anyone else. After about 2 hours it was time to say goodbye, so I thanked Joh again for my present, a packet of my favourite tea from Fortnum and Mason in London, and some nice guy agreed to take a photo of all of us.

Then there were the final hugs and goodbyes and we headed over to our car.
We discussed stopping somewhere close to Duval Street, but then decided to just head back to our hotel. It was still nice outside, so we grabbed some drinks and sat out on the balcony for a while. When we finally returned inside we watched an episode of Gordon Ramsay’s “Hotel Hell” before deciding that it was time to go to bed.

To be continued ............

 

[pas130]

When we finally returned inside we watched an episode of Gordon Ramsay’s “Hotel Hell” before deciding that it was time to go to bed.

Karin.... watching Hotel Hell while on vacation, you are one brave woman....then again, that resort WOW I am not sure I would want to ever leave that amazing balcony

Too bad Daniel didn't win the "booty", but what a nice DISmeet

Lovely Key West pics

 

[jenseib]

Too bad the food wasn't as good, but it looked good.
I am laughing that Daniel fell in the pond. That is so something my son would have done too.

 

[WDisneyMom]

Beautiful pictures from the balcony!

Sounds like you had a nice meet...too bad the food wasn't spectacular

Love the way you and Tom vacation...its so relaxing but you still fit so much in!

 

[dizneeat]

Karin.... watching Hotel Hell while on vacation, you are one brave woman....then again, that resort WOW I am not sure I would want to ever leave that amazing balcony

Too bad Daniel didn't win the "booty", but what a nice DISmeet

Lovely Key West pics

Yes, I know .... Hotel Hell, while IN a hotel what were we thinking.
The Southernmost is such a wonderful hotel .... it IS hard to leave. That's why we are already booked to go back next summer, same room and everything.

Meeting Joh and her family was such a wonderful treat. They are all wonderful people.

Too bad the food wasn't as good, but it looked good.
I am laughing that Daniel fell in the pond. That is so something my son would have done too.

We had had really wonderful food the last time we had eaten at Turtle Kraals, but this time didn't live up to our previous experience.
I think they all handled the "pond" episode pretty well and I have to add that Daniel is such a well behaved young man. We were pretty impressed!

Beautiful pictures from the balcony!

Sounds like you had a nice meet...too bad the food wasn't spectacular

Love the way you and Tom vacation...its so relaxing but you still fit so much in!

I just love that balcony. I could just sit out there for four weeks .... unfortunatly I would not be able to afford that luxury.

The meet was super fun. We so enjoyed our time with them.

 

[Linda67]

Great update Karin

So cool that you met Joh, Gary and Daniel, such a lovely family